Ministry-Focused Design

Take a look at the curriculum design of Rockbridge Seminary (our courses and how they are arranged), and you’ll see something new and innovative—courses are organized around the five biblical purposes of the church.

Traditionally, American seminaries have arranged courses according to categories of knowledge (biblical studies, theological studies, historical studies, and practical theology). This traditional approach to curriculum design was carried over to seminary education from the European university system about 200 years ago. Its structure reflects the university’s primary purpose of producing scholars.

Some seminaries are called to emphasize theological scholarship in their training design, a design well-served by the traditional arrangement of courses. Rockbridge Seminary, however, is called to emphasize local church ministry, making the design around church purposes rather than by categories of knowledge a more natural learning environment.